Prime Minister Clings to Power Amid Cabinet Support and Public Demands
Sir Keir Starmer is fighting to maintain his position as Prime Minister despite facing significant internal party pressure and the departure of key Downing Street staff. The embattled leader received public backing from cabinet colleagues while simultaneously confronting demands for his resignation from Labour's own Scottish leader.
Scottish Labour Leader Breaks Ranks
Anas Sarwar, leader of Scottish Labour, held a press conference to call for Starmer's resignation "with a heavy heart," citing "too many mistakes" in the ongoing Mandelson-Epstein scandal. Sarwar emphasized that the distraction needed to end and leadership in Downing Street must change, particularly with crucial Holyrood elections approaching in May where Scottish Labour trails both Reform and the SNP.
"We cannot allow the failures at the heart of Downing Street to mean the failures continue here in Scotland," Sarwar told reporters, highlighting the potential consequences for Scottish voters.
Key Departures Rock Downing Street
The Prime Minister's position was further weakened by the resignation of Tim Allan, Downing Street's director of communications, coming less than twenty-four hours after chief of staff Morgan McSweeney stepped down. McSweeney's departure was directly linked to his advice regarding the controversial appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, given Mandelson's association with convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite these significant setbacks, Sir Keir Starmer remained defiant, insisting: "I am going nowhere."
Cabinet Rallies Around Embattled Leader
Senior cabinet figures quickly moved to demonstrate their support for the Prime Minister. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who had previously been accused of plotting against Starmer, urged colleagues to "give Keir a chance." Chancellor Rachel Reeves posted on social media that "with Keir as our Prime Minister we are turning the country around."
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy emphasized Starmer's electoral mandate, stating: "Keir Starmer won a massive mandate 18 months ago, for five years to deliver on Labour's manifesto that we all stood on."
Internal Party Tensions Escalate
Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, considered a potential leadership contender, appealed for party unity while pledging her support. "I urge all my colleagues to come together, remember our values and put them into practice as a team," she said. "The prime minister has my full support in leading us to that end."
However, Labour grandee Alan Johnson warned that removing the Prime Minister would "turn Labour and the country into an international laughing stock."
Pollsters Predict Inevitable Change
Leading political analysts suggested Starmer's departure had become increasingly likely. Sir John Curtice noted that "we are at the stage where unplanned events could result in Keir Starmer going," drawing parallels with Boris Johnson's final days in office. He suggested one factor helping Starmer was the lack of a clear successor, with potential candidates facing their own political challenges.
Lord Robert Hayward added: "I'm becoming ever more convinced a change is inevitable but the Labour Party has got to the 'we might as well try something else stage' as the Conservative Party did."
Westminster Atmosphere Turns Febrile
As Starmer prepared to address the parliamentary Labour Party in an attempt to save his premiership, multiple Labour MPs described his position as "untenable." One anonymous MP stated bluntly: "It's over. It is just a matter of when, not if."
Left-wing Labour MPs planned to heckle the Prime Minister during the PLP meeting, while pollsters speculated about potential successors including former leader Ed Miliband, though all options appeared problematic for various reasons.
A Downing Street spokesman maintained the official position: "Keir Starmer is one of only four Labour leaders ever to have won a general election. He has a clear five-year mandate from the British people to deliver change, and that is what he will do."
